‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ Writers Reveal Big the Cat Cameo Was Cut From Sequel

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As a long-time fan of Sonic and his friends, I must admit that I was thrilled to see the franchise finally getting the live-action treatment it deserves. The latest installment, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, has truly outdone itself, breaking records and garnering universal praise.

In spite of some initial stumbles, the Sonic the Hedgehog movie series has stood out as one of the finest video game adaptations to grace the silver screen. The newest installment, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, boasting fan-adored character Shadow, portrayed by Keanu Reeves, is shattering box office records and receiving universal acclaim for its enhanced visuals and narrative. These films are recognized for showcasing characters that Sonic enthusiasts are already familiar with, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was no exception, featuring Knuckles and a post-credits hint of Shadow. Interestingly, the sequel almost featured another cameo from “Big.

In an interview with IGN, writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller discussed the appearance of Big the Cat in the Sonic film sequel. This large purple feline character is a recurring figure in various Sonic media but not necessarily a favorite among fans. The screenwriters mentioned that Big the Cat would make an appearance when the main characters journey to Siberia to locate a temple that holds a compass essential for finding the Master Emerald (a plot device or macguffin). Casey’s portrayal of the cameo, however, is less glamorous than one might initially think.

In an early version of Sonic 2, there was an idea to include a jump-scare moment as the characters traveled through the snowy mountains towards the cave. This was due to Sonic 2’s resemblance to Indiana Jones, where a common trope is that at some point, a skeleton suddenly appears and startles you. The plan was to incorporate this by having a Big the Cat skeleton pop up instead.

After Miller spoke up, he clarified that the skeleton wasn’t necessarily “The Big Cat,” and Casey affirmed they “ended up removing it” because “It just didn’t fit.” For those not familiar, Big the Cat is a large, anthropomorphic feline residing in the Mystic Ruins, where Knuckles’ ancestors hail from. It appears that the removed scene wasn’t Big the Cat himself, but rather another cat of the same species. Given it’s a children’s movie aimed at young Sonic fans, it seems that such a cameo would have been out of place in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” However, it’s evident that the writers are constantly trying to incorporate characters from the franchise, including Rouge the Bat, who has yet to make an appearance in live-action.

Future ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Movies Will Make Fans Very Happy

The ongoing success of “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” hints at a promising future for the movie franchise. With “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” already announced and scheduled for release, it remains to be seen if original cast members like Jim Carrey will reprise their roles. However, the post-credit scenes of the current film offer tantalizing hints about potential plotlines for the sequel. Meanwhile, Idris Elba has started advocating for a “Shadow and Knuckles” spinoff featuring himself and Keanu Reeves, although no official announcements have been made regarding this project. Regardless, it seems likely that both characters will appear in some capacity, whether in “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” or another film.

Despite previous Sonic the Hedgehog films performing well financially and being generally liked by audiences, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has proven to be revolutionary. It boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 87%, which is a franchise high, and it earned approximately $62 million during its opening weekend, nearly double what Mufasa: The Lion King made. If the film series maintains this momentum, it’s challenging to predict a limit for the success of the video game adaptation.

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2024-12-24 00:01